Jennerstown Speedway 'paves' the way for racing season

May 07, 2004|By BRADLEY KEIM, Daily American Sports Writer

JENNERSTOWN - As Dave Wheeler prepares for his second season as Jennerstown Speedway owner, marked improvements are already in place or on the horizon. The track gives Somerset County residents and visitors to the Laurel Highlands a unique racing experience.

"People don't realize how few NASCAR (short) tracks there are across the nation, 65 across 50 states is not many short tracks. Reintroducing the people to weekend racing is difficult. There's still that redneck image that people have of weekend racers," Wheeler said.

"We have very professional racers. We do autograph signings. It's really a family atmosphere and that's what we're shooting for. Going to a weekend race shouldn't cost you any more than going to the movies with your kids. …

"It's got to be priced right."

Wheeler said he is dropping ticket prices in an attempt to attract more families to Saturday night racing.

New ticket prices are $9 for adults, $7 for teens 13-17, $3 for children 6-12. Children under 6-years-old are admitted free.

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"I think we're headed in the right direction to at least bring the sports back to an affordable level," Wheeler said, "to make it a family entertainment experience."

In addition to NASCAR Weekly Racing Series action, Jennerstown will again offer two Hooters Pro Cup races this season and Sprint Cars are returning to the speedway.

"The biggest show I'm bringing in this year is June 26, the ISMA Super Modifieds out of New York and Winged Sprints on Asphalt out of Ohio," Wheeler said.

The winged sprints will also race in late July.

"I get a lot of requests for Sprint Cars," Wheeler said.

Down the road, Wheeler said, he hopes to bring a NASCAR truck race to the speedway once track improvements are complete.

"My goal is within five years to get a Craftsman Truck race at Jennerstown," he said.

Fan appreciation night is set for Saturday, July 10, a week before Summerfest, with fireworks, an autograph session and $3 admission.

The track has seating for approximately 10,000 fans and more can watch from the pit area. Wheeler said the fan entrance has been paved and improved.

Finishing touches are being put on the newly resurfaced race track, the first time the track has been paved since the switch was made from a dirt surface in the late 1980s. Rain delayed the paving project and the season opener, but practice is scheduled for today and tomorrow with the season set to start next weekend.

The seamless surface is designed to avoid cracking, as was seen with the original surface.

"Now you'll get a true racing surface," Wheeler said, "with a polymer top coat and with a slag aggregate instead of stone … It will be like something between Indianapolis Speedway and Pocono Raceway."

Other track improvements include extending the pit area to accommodate Pennsylvania Legacy Series cars, extending the turn-one wall, added 2,000 feet of new drainage and putting in underground conduit so that overhead wires for lighting may be removed as early as next season. The lighting will be handled by four large light standards, about 80 feet tall, Wheeler said. Removing the overhead wiring will give fans better and less obstructed sight lines.

Ultimately, Jennerstown will have twin tracks, a 3/8 mile oval within the 5/8 mile oval. The inside track will have a less banking, making it possible to accommodate go-karts.

"There's a lot of people around here with interest," Wheeler said. "I get a lot of e-mails from kids expressing interest in karts … (but) we want to make sure it's done safely."

Racing divisions were changed this season, with Pro Trucks eliminated and a new crate engine division called Late Models added. The crate engines will help teams keep costs down. What was known as Late Models will be called Super Late Models. Enduros will be known as Hobby Stocks.

After a two-year absence, Somerset driver Jeff Dunmyer is returning to Jennerstown, something Wheeler said will attract more fans.

With the popularity of the Fast and the Furious movie series, Wheeler said he envisions holding races for souped-up, front-wheel drive cars sometime this season.

"It's kind of the wave of the future," Wheeler said. "There aren't many rear-wheel drive cars to make Street Stocks … the trend seems to be entry-level racing. The trend is going towards 4-cylinders, hobby stock and extremely affordable race cars. … We're trying to keep the price of racing, which is supposed to be a hobby, at an affordable level for people to get involved in."

Wheeler said he has other big ideas for the track in addition to racing, perhaps even turning it into a drive-in movie theater on non-race nights.

"All you basically do is put in an FM wireless (audio transmitter) for the cars and a screen and projection booth and that's it," he said. "I have the restrooms, the concessions and everything else is there."